


Rusty Bits - The night before the party

by Friendly_Tree



Series: Rusty Bits [1]
Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast), The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Bedtime conversations, Canon Divergance, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Microfic, Party Prep, Pride, verging on crack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:35:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26110486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Friendly_Tree/pseuds/Friendly_Tree
Summary: A collection of vignettes from before a party in Rusty Quill Gaming and The Magnus Archives. I'd like to add some Stellar Firma at some point, but I also like writing people being nice to each other and those two aren't the most compatible. I'm taking sort of a pick'n'mix approach to canon. This is my first fic, so be kind. Thanks to Miria for beta-ing the first two stories.
Relationships: Martin Blackwood & Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist
Series: Rusty Bits [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1930099
Comments: 6
Kudos: 12





	Rusty Bits - The night before the party

"mmpf" Cel felt a slight vibration around their midrift. They relaxed their hug slightly to give Hamid room to speak properly. 

"Yeah little buddy?" 

"Cel, When's your birthday?" murmured Hamid, being careful not to wake any of the others snuggled into this small corner of the inn's basement. 

"Huh?" 

"Your birthday? I just realised I know everyone else's and I wanted to know if I should be looking for a gift when we get out of here, just because we don't always get the chance to shop very often."

"Oh. Um I don't… Let me think. Yeah, I don't know."

"I see. Do they not celebrate them where you're from?" 

"No, I did know, but then I travelled to so many places where no one else did, and so many different calender systems. You know it's actually very interesting the relationship between lunar versus solar calanders and." They spot the slightly lost look on Hamid's face. 

"Anyway I just forgot after a while. Don't really think about it that often anymore." 

"How about tomorrow?" Now it was Cel's turn to feel a little lost. 

"Or if there's a date that's particularly significant to you that you could prefer, I know this isn't the ideal setting, but we could ask Oscar to send some party supplies down and I'm sure everyone else would love to take part." as if in response the soft pink glow eminating from under a tarp in the corner of the room flared up slightly.

"Oh, um. It might have to be an IOU on the presents though."

"That sounds lovely Hamid, and don't worry about the present."

"Happy birthday Cel."

"Good Night Hamid." 

  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
  


_Dear Hamid,_

_I trust this letter finds you well. I am writing to express my expectation that you attend the Duchess of Sutherland's upcoming Ball. The family must be seen to be an active part of high society wherever it's members are to be found. I trust that you will find a suitable partner and that you will represent me and the al-Tahan bank in an appropriate manner._

_Saleh Amoun Al-Tahan_

"Um, guys, does anyone know how to ballroom dance?" Hamid cast out into the crowded living room of his London flat. 

Zolf put down his slice of toast, considered for a moment and then: "I can do a half decent jig, but no ballroom. And to be honest even the jig was a few pairs of legs ago so there'd be an adjustment period."

"Yeah, dancing with new limbs isn't something you wanna do on short notice, I can tell you." Cel chimed in. "Although there was this one gentleman from Vienna who I met a few years back who taught me a few dances. I have to admit I found the waltz kinda boring, so I sped it up and designed a little algorithm that you memorise so that depending on where you are in the room, and how the room's laid out, it randomises some of the steps." Honestly dancing a sped up, semi-randomised waltz with a nearly three-foot height difference sounded almost as terrifying as, well, most days in the last few months now that Hamid looked back, but it would be with a friend. 

"Oh brilliant. Are you free on Saturday?" 

"Saturday? I'm so sorry little buddy but I promised I'd help Grag upgrade his grill, he's working all day the rest of the week and I think this is a full day job." 

"Oh. I see." Replied Hamid, somewhat crestfallen, but he wasn't out of options yet. Dance seemed like the sort of subject one might learn in Paladin school. 

"Never seen the sense in it. Why would you learn a dance? Dancing's supposed to be what you do when your feelings get too big for your body, not just fancy marching around in circles. Sorry Hamid." Grizzop had started speaking almost before Hamid's eyes landed on him. 

"Well I'd be happy to come with you anyway Hamid, but if I have to know the dances already I don't think the ones I learned growing up are on the ballroom list." With Azu letting him down gently, Hamid was out of

"Yeah Alright." Hamid nearly spilled his coffee, even after all this time, he sti wasn't used to how quiet and still Sasha was at rest. "Eldarion always made sure I knew what I was doing on a dance floor." 

"Oh wow, thank you Sasha! I should warn you it's going to be quite a big party and we'd sort of have to let ourselves catch people's attention. Would you be comfortable with that?"

"Are the sorts of people who're gonna be there the sorts of people who get really upset if the sort of people I am show up at their parties?" 

"Well I'm afraid some of those people will probably be there, but a lot of people who are going to be there are lovely…"

Sasha's face takes on that wolfish grin that usually precedes a large number of knives moving more quickly than the Eye can follow. "Alright Hamid." She said, dropping the 'H' down a significant deeper well than usual in preparation for a scandal. "I've gotta go out and get a new suit. Good range of motion, lots of inside pockets."

* * *

  
  
  


“So boss, how about it?” Apparently Tim had been speaking. Quick, thought John, time to find a smooth way of figuring out what the conversation had been without giving away how distracted he had been.

“Huh?”

“Pride. It’s this saturday, weren’t you listening?”

“Ah, sorry, it’s just that this statement is really rather…” John felt his attention being pulled back towards the piece of paper in his hands, just in time to see Martin gently pluck it away.

“John, you spend all day nose deep in statements.You deserve a lunch break just as much as anyone else. Tim was just saying we could all do the march together then go for drinks in The Misty Eye.” Martin didn’t break eye contact when he finished speaking, which was really rather distracting. John fiddled with the ring on his left middle finger as he tried to think.

“Come on boss. I’m going, so it can’t be that bad of an idea.” Sasha piped up, she was probably joking, but it was a not unconvincing point anyway. 

“Oh, yes alright then. The march starts at about eleven, doesn’t it? Where are we meeting?”

  
  


* * *

It had been a long day, not in any bad way, it had been perfectly fulfilling, never dragging, but long nonetheless, and John was more than ready to settle in for the night. He climbed into bed next to Martin, flicked on the lamp on his side, put on his reading glasses and opened to page 160 (he hadn’t needed bookmarks for years). 

“So, the big day tomorrow. Have you ever planned a fifth birthday party before?” asked Martin.

“I’m informed I tried to take over for my own, but no. I’m sure we’ve done well though.”

“Yeah.”

John turned the page and the note that had been tucked in there fell out onto the duvet. An unexpected piece of paper certainly wasn’t enough to make two men who had gone through both parenting a toddler and the end of the world jump, and even if it had been there was nobody around to see it so you certainly couldn’t prove anything.

After taking a moment to compose himself, John unfolded and read the note.

_Hello John,_

_Apologies for the late reply, but I hope my present will make up for it. Give me a call whenever there’s a gap in little Gerry’s schedule and I can assure the three of you quite the exhilarating boat ride. I am however, sorry to inform you that due to the_ _concessions I have had to make in return for securing this,Peter and I will be unable to attend the party tomorrow. Please give my best to all present._

_Yours, “Elias Bouchard”_

“Him again?” Asked Martin.

“Yes.”

“Why can’t he get in touch normally like everyone else?”

“I suppose he enjoys the drama of it.” John replied, flopping back onto the pillows in resignation and just in time to see the door in the ceiling creak open.

“Hello Archivist.” said the twisting manifestation of all that is not. “Sorry to butt in so late, but it took a long time to remodel myself into a bouncy castle. Where do you want me tomorrow.”

“Away.” Murmured John.

“Ignore him, he doesn’t mean it.” Martin reassured the humanoid-ish embodiment of the lies of your own senses, “Can you put your door in the garden? That’s far enough from the cake that kids shouldn't be too queasy by the time they get there.”

“Wonderful! Shall I bring in that suitcase of kids skincare products on your doorstep while I’m here.”

“Oh yes please Helen, that’s a great help.”

The door closed and the ceiling was returned to normal.

“Is it too late to move in with Georgie and Melanie? They never get these visits.” Grumbled John.

“We both know that’s just because The Admiral chases off all the unwanted visitors, and I think three new full time residents would be a bit much for him.”


End file.
